What did the Italians eat before Marco Polo discovered Chinese noddles?

Question

and re named it pasta.?

Answer 1

Marco Polo did not bring pasta back from China and revolutionize Italian cooking (sorry). Polo returned in 1295 after twenty-odd years of travel away from Italy. In 1279, however, a Genoese soldier listed in the inventory of his estate a basket of dried pasta ('una bariscella plena de macaronis'). The Chinese are known to have been eating a "noodle-like food" as early as 3000 BC. Marco Polo describes a starchy product made from breadfruit - hardly durum wheat that pasta is made of.There is also no other hard evidence aside from the "pasta pin" to support the claim that pasta history began with the Etruscans. In addition, the ROMAN god Vulcan did not "invent a pasta making machine."

Ancient Greeks and Romans had discovered some form of flattened dough - this is a broad noodle called in Greek 'laganon.' It is significant, however, that this was not boiled as we boil lasagna noodles, but roasted on hot stones or in ovens - more related to what we would think of as pizza.

Apicius, a Roman writer of the first century AD describes a pasta made "to enclose timballi and pies..." These were called "lagana.' The recipe for the dough is not given, however there are suggestions for layering and seasoning with meat and fish.

The first certain record of noodles cooked by boiling is in the Jerusalem Talmud, written in Aramaic in the 5th century AD. The word used for the noodles was itriyah. In Arabic references this word stands for the dried noodles purchased from a vendor, rather than homemade noodles which would have been fresh. Dried noodles are portable, while fresh must be eaten immediately. More than likely, pasta was introduced during the Arab conquests of Sicily, carried in as a dry staple. The Arab geographer, Al Idrisi wrote that a flour-based product in the shape of strings was produced in Palermo, then an Arab colony.

Some historians think the Sicilian word "maccaruni" which translates as "made into a dough by force" is the origin of our word, macaroni. Anyone who has kneaded durum wheat knows that force is necessary.

In the ancient methods of making pasta, force meant kneading the dough with the feet, often a process that took a full day. Ancient Sicilian lasagna dishes, some still eaten in Sicily today, included raisins and spices brought by the Arab invaders, another indication that the Arabs introduced pasta. Whether the Arabs sauced pasta is questionable, and the array of sauces may be an Italian invention. What is certain is that the climate of Italy was perfect for growing durum wheat, a hard wheat from which we get semolina, and the availability of the wheat ensured its popularity. Soft wheat can be used for fresh pasta, but semolina is used for dried pasta.

It is true, however, that the tomato was not always in Italy. In the 16th century, the Spanish brought their food discoveries of the new world back to the old world. Among the rich assortment of foodstuffs that were to become permanent fixtures in the old world was the tomato. The first recipe for tomatoes with pasta wasn't written until 1839, however, when Ippolito Cavalcanti, Duke of Buonvicino, offered a recipe for 'vermicelli co le pommodoro.'

Now you know!

Answer 2

Marco Polo Tomatoes

Answer 3

Italy and Italians didn't exist until late 1800s, for this reason you're wrong if you're assuming that ''Italians'' eat the same things and influenced each other.
Marco Polo was Venetian, and in Venetian local food there is just a recipe with a fresh pasta similar to noodles: bigoli in salsa.
Don't you think that Veneto (Marco Polo's country) would have plenty of recipes with noodles if this food had been brought by Polo?

Answer 4

I am a former chef and a bit of a food history expert, and like "Sparrowette", said there was a crude form of pasta in Italy long before the Marco Polo's revelation.

They had what is none a "rags" in Italian slang, rough piece of dough made from wheat, corn or chesnut flours, torn into pieces and boiled, then serve with either chesses, veg, wild herbs and oils.

It was Marco Polo who brought back the egg based pastas and long noodle like style, there had been some form of pasta, which means "Paste" in Italian since the Roman time, they even boiled excess bread dough and made soups with it. I have a collection of Ancient Romans recipes, from the net that explains this from around the reign of the Cesar's.

Answer 5

Always a lot of good foodstuffs in the Italian kitchen. Thank the Moorish occupation of Sicily for pasta as we know it. As someone said here the tomato came later. A boon from the Gods. There were a number of veggie and fish sauces, including the dreaded anchovy, which were eaten on flat bread,pre-pasta.

Answer 6

Italian

Answer 7

As one of many six ancient towns in China, Beijing has been the heart and heart of politics throughout its extended history and consequently there is an unmatched wealth of discovery to pleasure and interest travelers while they explore the city's historical past and exciting modern development, know more with hotelbye . Today in time, Beijing it is now one of typically the most popular journey locations in the world and the areas lice Yunju Temple or Summer Palace are certainly in to the reasons for what Beijing worth visited. Beijing Summer Palace is the greatest noble Garden in China.

Answer 8

They ate pizza, actually. Pizza was eaten in ancient Rome. They prepared flat bread crust and put on various toppings including cheese and pine nuts and olives among other things.

Note: Indeed, Polo did go to China as an emissary of the Kubla Kahn's Court and as a trader. He arrived in what is now Beijing in 1275

Additional Note: The tomato was not eaten in Europe in the middle ages. It was considered a poisonous plant for centuries, and indeed it ts related to nightshade. The Italians made their sauces with cream, olive oil and cheeses. We still see this in northern Italy, and eat it in alfredo sauce with pasta popularly.

Answer 9

Hey there,
I easily got for free Chicken Invaders 4here: http://bit.ly/1oheLHh

Nowadays, it is hard to find an entertaining action games on Windows, because most of the games are typically simple and boring first person shooters. Most of these games are not good enough. Until I try to install this amusing game on my PC, and this game is called Chicken Invaders
It's amazing.

Answer 10

Fruits. Bananas are my favorite. btw did you know that tomatoes are the #1 selling fresh fruit? true beans